Long Time No See
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: He was fire, she, ice. He was a creature of pure, wanton destrcution. She, a woman who valued justice and the law, over all. They could never understand each other. They never wanted to understand each other. Until they were forced to. NarutoxSoi fon
1. Prologue: Unseal

_**Damnit all again!! This is further proof that Bleach infects the mind with fanfic virus! I just got this idea after Koga was sealed, so i figured why not? Except this time, someone else was sealed as well, and...well...dangit, just read and be prepared to fall off your chair!**_

Hinamori found herself in a darkened chamber, with only one speck of light. Beneath the spotlight, which flickered on and off, suggesting it was horribly in need of a replacement, lay a blackened, crystalline orb, bolted to the ground by hundreds of thick, black chains.

She'd been brought here, but she knew not why.

"H-Head captain Yamamoto-sama, why have you brought me here?"

The head captain said nothing, just as he had when he'd lead her here. Instead, he clasped his palms, and the pointer and index finger of those palms, together. The sphere before them began to crack and splinter, leaving red light to shine through the hairline fractures created by the combination of the occupant's reaitsu, and Yamamoto's.

"Release." He declared ominously.

Without warning, the massive orb, and all the chains tethering it in place, shattered. Hanging in the air, where his prison used to be, was a man, wearing the ripped remains of a white shihakusho coupled with a black cape and cloak.

His reiatsu was red, just like Renji's, yet darker so, with a more savage feeling to it, almost as if it were alive, and ready to lash out at her. But with the black cape and cloak, he _did_ have the mysterious stranger look down pat. As his bare feet touched the damp grass, the figure raised his head, exposing sapphire blue eyes, and a whiskered face, that was sorely in need of a shave.

But Hinamori found her gaze drawn to the his zanpaktou, for it could not be called anything but. Strapped to his waist, tethered by an orange sash, were a pair of dual swords, But upon closer inspection, one could easily tell the difference. The right, was a short sword, a wazikashi. It's partner blade on the left, was a katana. Finally, strapped to his back as a long nodachi, ending the odd arangement of weaponry he wore.

"Ah," The man, for he was clearly male, rasped, his throat dry and parched. "Ya mind getting me something to drink?"

"Uzumaki Naruto." Yamamoto ignored the obvious jab. "I take you've enjoyed your century of imprisonment?"

A toothy grin filled the shadowed face

"Interesting. I'm glad to see you haven't gone senile and forgotten me, but to what do I owe the..._honor_ of this audacious visit?" In contrast to his ragged appearance, the man's voice was sharpy, witty, and full of amused sarcasm, suggesting that he wasn't _too_ young, to be speaking to the head captain like this, he must be at least several centuries old. "Surely you didn't let me out just to discuss my history, old man?"

Was that a gleam of amusement in Yamamoto Sou-taichou's eye just now?

"Indeed, I haven't. In fact, I have come to make you an offer. You will be granted full pardon for your crimes, should you accept it."

"Sorry. Not interested."

Hinamori nearly choked on her spit, but Yamamoto remained silent.

"Oh? I haven't even informed you of what it is. Do you still wish to refuse?"

"You don't need to tell me." The man known as Uzumaki Naruto clicked his tongue in distaste. "That whippersnapper student of yours, Aizen Sosuke, he defected, didn't he? Ichimaru and Kaname probably ditched too, but then again, I'm not surprised. Sosuke-kun can be pretty convincing when he wants to be-"

"A-Aizen-taichou...Momo stiffened, her eyes widening, her hands, balling into tiny fists. Unbidden, hot, salty tears began to flow down her cheeks, accompanied by a soft whimper, then a sob, then...then she screamed:

"URUSAI! AIZEN-TAICHOU IS _NOT_ THE MAN YOU THINK HE IS! HE-HE-

"Oh, just shut it. I've had enough screechy bitching for one lifetime, thank you very much."

Whump.

In the space of an eyeblink, Naruto had crossed the room, and now, Hinamori Momo found herself pinned against the wall by a reaitsu so terrifying, that she thought she'd faint before she could hear the rest of his words.

"Look," Naruto snarled but that was the only human thing about his gesture. "You're his lieutenant, aren't you? Then I'll keep this short and simple, miss fuku-taichou. Look, I don't know what kind of ruse he pulled, and quite frankly, _I don't care._ So don't waste my time with your pathetic sympathies. Now, shut your ass up and go to sleep."

Without another word, he released Momo, allowing her now unconcious form to slump harmlessly against the floor. "Jeez, you've certainly made a mess of things, haven't you, gramps?" From seemingly nowhere, the blond procurred a cigarrete, snapped his fingers, and produced a small flame. Upon lighting it, the rich scent of freshly pikced tobacco filled the air.

"Tell me, is my eigth seat still around?"

"Quite." Yamamot replied. "And I believe you'll find that she's changed quite a bit since you've been sealed."

"How so?"

Amusement again flickered in and out of those steely orbs.

"You'll see for yourself once you're allowed to leave."

The blond took a long drag of his cigarette before exhaling slowly, filling the chamber with smoke. His eyes narrowed, his reaitsu surged, only to die away moments later. Flicking away the now scorched stub of the cigar, the blond sighed heavily, and within seconds, the scowl was replaced by an almost demented grin.

"Ah, fuck it. I'm in. Call a captain's meeting, will ya? I wanna see a few familair faces."

--

Soi fon could have _sworn_ she felt a chilling laughter coming from somewhere in the first division. It was accompanined by a cold burst of wind, and for a moment, she fought the urge to go check up on it. She'd felt that reaitsu once before, but she'd only been a child then.

Could it be? Was that despicable man, really still alive after all these years?

"Yamete. Stop thinking about that," She shook her head with a visible shudder, willing the truth to remain unnoticed. As she tilted her gaze to the left once more, a hell butterfly landed on the tip of her her hand. Apparently, an emergency captains' meeting had just been called.

Putting off the frustration that came with having her training interrupted, Soi fon, sprinted in the direction of the first division.

"I'm just imagining things."

**Yeah, anyone notice how OOC Naruto is? Don't worry, that's supposed to happen. After all, you'd be batshit crazy too if someone locked you up for one hundred years!**


	2. Long Time No See!

_**HOLY SHIT! 26 reviews for a single chapter?! I love you guys! Anyways, that being said, I hope you all enjoy reading this wildly amusing story as much as I do writing it! I've done my very best to charge this chapter with ten times the usual raw emotion! And please don't mind the slight tweaking of Soi fon's rank, I'm trying to keep this story as fresh and original as possible!**_

**_Enjoy!_**

_(Flashback)_

_Naruto Uzumaki Shihoin._

_She remembered so much of him, yet so little at the same time. He had been a many of many faces, many emotions, everchanging, ever flow, like the water and winds. He was a man of conviction, a man of passion. He was proud, like any man, and that pride was what drove him to be the best._

_All Soi fon knew for certain was this:_

_She adored him. Perhaps moreso than Yoruichi-sama. She knew not where he came from. No one did, maybe not even the Sou-taichou. One day, he just appeared, and the next, he was adopted into the Shihoin clan, the very day Urahara Kisuke became captain of squad Twelve._

_"Yo." He'd greeted her in a manner similair to Yoruichi-sama's when they'd first met, his hand clasping her head as he leaned to down to meet her gaze with his own. "You're kinda young to be eigth seat, aint'cha, gaki?" Such was his character, or so she'd thought. An outspoken, hardworking individual who wouldn't think twice of taking on whatever task you chose to give him, and wouldn't ask for a thing in return._

_It was soon announced that Uzumaki would be replacing Yoruichi-sama..._

_And exactly one week after she dissapeared, it happened. THAT was a vivid memory Soi fon would rather have forgotten, but her then feeble mind would not allow it. She remembered the splintering of wood and timber as he kicked her door in. His hand around her shoulders, squeezing, gripping, hauling her to her feet. His voice, shouting over her weak, strangled sobs._

_"Enough already! Bitching and moaning isn't going to bring your precious Yoruichi-sama back!"_

_She only cried harder. _

_"Think about it! Is this what she would want?!"_

_Soi fon knew_ now _that she shouldn't have cried then, but still she had, and shame filled her for it. The stealth force was known for its cruel, almost emotionless facade and interrogation methods. A member of the Onmitskido NEVER displayed weakness of any sort. Weakness could be exploited. _

_"You are a member of the Onmitskido, Soi fon! Do not show me your tears!"_

_Weakness, could, would, be used against her._

_But she'd been so young then, too young to understand the vast political complexities that came with being a member of the second division, too inexperienced to realize the duties required as a member of the interrogation unit._

_Suddenly he pulled her into his haori and allowed her to cry. Even know, she couldn't understand why he'd done so. Until that moment, she'd thought Naruto Uzumaki Shihoin was the most unfeeling individual in the univerese. What he said next, changed her views considerably._

_"If you insist on crying...hide your face, Soi fon. Then no one can see your weakness._

_It was the only moment of tenderness he ever gave her, and she'd cherished it._

_For the next ten years, Soi fon served under his shadow. She achieved shikai. She worked her way up to lieutenant. She forgot all about Yoruichi-sama and the pain that came with her unexplained abscence. She strived to make her new captain proud, it was her life. Catching a small smirk from him as she survived their first daily spar unscathed, the relief, coupled with grief and awe when one of her blows had accidentally slipped_ through _his guard to crash into his eye, leaving an ugly purple bruise that would become a black eye the next day._

_Sadness had filled her when it was announced that he was engaged. And to nobility, a member of the Kuchiki clan at that! Praise was heaped upon him like the lavish, white shihakusho he wore, and their sparring sessions became less frequent, consisting of once a month, instead of three times a week._

_She remembered when he told her that this would be the last time they fought together. She'd shown him her newly achieved bankai during that last spar, and after witnessing its raw destructive power, he'd patted her on the back, and even commented to that effect:_

_"Not bad, Soi fon. I really wouldn't want to be your opponent in a few years."_

_But then, inexplicably something strange happened. On the very next day, the day that he was to be wed, on the day when he was about to leave her life forever...._

_Naruto Uzumaki Shihoin l__ost his mind._

_(End Flashback)_

_--_

_'Why am I thinking of that? It's in the past. Useless. Irrelevant. Childish. And I will not dwell on flights of fancy.'_

Finally, she found herself before the ornate double doors. Beyond was the meeting room, and apparently, judging by the murmur of discussion emanating from within, she was the last to arrive. Doing her best to ease the sudden and unusual flush in her cheeks, Soi fon shoved them open, walked through the doors and swiftly took her place in line.

The Captains meeting was unusually tense, likely due to the combination of Aizen's defection, _and _the recently suppressed Bount invasion. Now, it was made even more tense as this meeting took place in the wee hours of the morning, before the sun had risen and before the mists had faded.

Having been denied her cup of coffee, Soi fon could only look on in dreary silence as everyone filed in one by one, until two incomplete lines, each bearing its own empty space, were formed. Three empty spaces.

"Everyone, everyone!" Yamamoto thumped the sealed form of his Zanpakuto down on the ground, once, twice, three times, commanding silence. "I understand that their has been some discussion as to who will replace the three captains' we have lost." It wasn't a question. "Therefore, I have acquired the services of one who has all the requirements necessary to be a captain. He has already been evaluated, and I believe he will be a splendid addition to our ranks."

"Who do you have in mind, Sou-taicho donno?" Komamura asked. Soi fon found herself silently agreeing with the fox faced taichou. After all, none of the lieutenant's, Renji Abarai aside, had achieved bankai, and asking Ikkaku to do it was basically moot point, seeing as he was fervently trying to _hide _the fact that he had bankai. And for the most part, he had succeeded. But you couldn't hide something from the head of the Onmitskido.

It had happened entirely by chance. As she passed through the streets on her usual route, she'd just so happened to overhear the heated conversation taking place between Abarai Renji, and Madarame, pertaining as to why the latter wouldn't become a captain. And after witnessing the third seat's equally feverish desire to fight and die under Kenpachi's command, she'd chosen to remain quiet about it.

So that left either Abarai or Kurosaki Ichigo to fill the void. She immediately dismissed the former.

Abarai simply wasn't qualified, and while Soi fon secretly hoped that it _was_Kurosaki Ichigo, she seriously doubted that the ex-ryoka would be willing to drop everything and allow the head captain to exert any sort of control over him. A shame really. He'd been personally trained by Yoruichi-sama, and Soi fon had been itching to spar with him ever since catching a glimpse of his bankai. But no, the chances of him becoming the next captain were slim to none, so the question remained, _who_ would it be?

And so, she waited with bated breath to see who would fill one of the three empty spaces that had left behind by Aizen. Yamamoto allowed his gaze to sweep over the assembly twofold, before he finally announced it.

"Uzumaki Naruto will become."

A ripple of confusion ran through the twin lines, and the petite captain immediately drooped her head to hide the expression her face now wore. The silence in the room was so thick that it could be cut with a knife, but somehow, at last, _at last_Soi fon found her voice, and it was so weak, that it could barely even be compared to a whisper. "Did you say Uzumaki...Naruto?"

"Haha!" Kyoraku's smile was so wide it nearly split his face, and Soi fon was thankful for it, because the attention was now focused on the infamous womanizer, and away from her. "I knew that rascal was too stubborn to die!"

_'This can't be possible.'_

Ukitake looked over at his friend in confusion. "I thought you knew that he was still alive."

_'That man...why does he have to be here?!'_

"No, I didn't know that, I must have slept through that report, but still, he's _alive!_ As soon as this is all done, I'm going to the bar and having a drink with him. Or ten."

Kuchikia Byakuya was a little more sober, and so, the focus now shifted to him. "Forgive me Sou-taichou, but why are we bringing another traitor into our midst? If I recall correctly, Uzumaki's actions nearly destroyed the Sereitei once-

"Now now, that's not very nice, Byakuya. And to think I came all this way just to see you."

Everyone turned as a shadow fell across the floor.

Soi fon froze. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't blink. She couldn't tear her gaze away from him, she could only stare, cursing herself as her lips parted to form a small silent:

"Oh."

"Aha!" Kyoraku laughed merrily at the sight of the blond, still wearing the signature black cloak and cape. "Speak of the devil!"

There, standing in the open doorway, was a refreshed Naruto Uzumaki. He'd taken advantage of the past hour to both shave, and find himself a seamstress to patch up his shihakusho. Now, good as new, he marched into the room, wearing the _fifth squad's haori,_ as if he owned it, taking in all in, some new faces, some old....

And one in particular, as his gaze paused, just before it could reach her.

"Heya Retsu-chan!" A wild, genuine grin broke through the small smirk Naruto had been wearing. "Long time no see!"

The fourth squad captain remained in line, but managed a polite smile as the distance between them narrowed. It was not until they were well within less than a foot of each other that the two shared a firm embrace, much to _everyone's_surprise, and the amusement of Kyoraku.

Soi fon was not amused.

_'He's ignoring me....is he trying to provoke me?!'_

"You look well, Naruto-san." Unohana never once took her gaze away from him as they released one another. Naruto chuckled and thumbed the hilt of his wazikashi. "I expected you to be....different after being sealed away for so long."

"Yeah me too, but, well _she_ wouldn't like it if I got all old and wrinkled, ya know?"

"I see." Unohana seemed to understand immediately. "She would certainly be upset about that, wouldn't she?"

A few of the more recent captains, Komamura, Hitsugaya, and Byakuya, exchanged a glance. She? Was Uzumaki referring to his zanpakutou? And how did he know Unohana-taichou?

Yamamoto sweatdropped slightly, a bit of exasperation showing through his usual resolute stare. He'd brought the boy here for the sake of being re-instated as a captain, not for idle chit-chat! Unfortunately, that was exactly what the Uzumaki was doing.

Soi fon, at the limit of her sanity, could bear it no more. A scream tore past her lips, and she threw herself forward, throwing her body int a vicious strike that would have killed a lesser man instantly.

Thusly, Naruto _easily _managed to duck a sudden kick that threatened to take his head off. Reiatsu flaring, he rammed an open palm into his attacker's back, using the momentum to skid back a few feet, casually unlocking his wazikashi with one thumb and drawing it with the other hand, as he turned to face his foe.

"Alright, who'se the one tried to kick me while I was talking to Retsu-chan? You're so gonna-oho."

His attacker was a short young woman with a white Captain's overcoat tied at the waist with a yellow sash, short blue-black hair with two long braids wrapped in white cloth. A Zanpakuto was strapped across her back at waist level. Immediately, the blond stayed his hands, obviously recognizing her.

Soi fon.

"Well well, look who it is!" His grin was genuine, but it didn't quite reach his eyes, even as he extended a hand to his former subordinate. "Are you happy to see me, Soi fon? I haven't gotten rusty you know."

"You." She stated, slapping his palm away, eyes hard, reaitsu surging wildly as she struggled to bring a myriad of mixed whirlwind emotions back under her control. "Have you become so consumed by your own power that you would actually draw your sword _here_?"

At this pathetic excuse for an insult, Naruto snorted, sheathing the wazikashi with an air of amusement. "Yeah, that's right. This coming from the little girl who followed me everywhere I went, still couldn't even scratch me in a sparring session, let alone force me to draw any of my swords'. The worst you ever did was give me a black eye, and even _that_ was a freebie."

That remark should have been rendered useless by her hatred, but somewhere deep inside, Soi fon felt hurt. All this time, she'd proudly counted that blow as a mark of her ability. That she had begun to surpass him, at least in hand to hand combat. Now, that pride was shattered like glass,

Ukitake sighed, and manged to force a tired smile."Well, he certainly hasn't changed any."

_"Uzumaki!"_

"!!" Eyes flying wide open, the blond spun on his heel, gripping the dual black blue hiltwraps of his zanpaktou. Instantly, both the katana and wazikashi met Zaraki's ragged blade, halting it less than an inch from his nose, preventing it from descending any further.

"Oi, Uzumaki." Kenpachi said as Naruto turned his attention away from Soi fon, ignoring the death glare she sent at his back. "In case you've forgotten, we never got to finish our fight!"

"That so?" Naruto grinned manically, his hand tightening on the handle of his Zanpakuto. "Well then, if you've gotten as strong as everybody says, then how about we go a round right now?"

Kenpachi's boisterous laughter filled the room.

"That's more like it! I've been itching to cut you up ever since you got out!"

The blond quirked an eyebrow as their zanpaktou grated against one another, each struggling for leverage as their master's tried to overpower one another, only to remain deadlocked.

"Enough talk. If you think you can keep up with me, then shut your trap and bring it!"

"Enough." Yamamoto's raised voice was enough to stop Zaraki from fully bringing his Zanpakuto back around for another swing, and forcing the two captains to whirl apart. "Now is not the time for petty bickering between the Squads. We have far more important matters to discuss!"

"Such as?" Kurotsuchi ventured with a disinterested tone.

"Like, now that I'm a captain again, none of you fuckers get to boss me around, and I'll explain why." Naruto explained with a deadpanned, yet slightly cocky expression, as if he were daring anyone to object. "Try it once, you'll lose an arm. Try it twice, a leg. A third time, and, well," He raised his shoulders in an innocent shrug, but there was that demented look in his eyes again. "I think we all get the picture, neh?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi suddenly laughed out loud. "Interesting!" The Captain with the black and white face paint continued scornfully. "You would go so far as to threaten us? You have a great deal of confidence for someone who was defeated so easily before."

"Really?" Naruto cocked his head towards Mayuri, much like a sparrow would. "See, I find that funny."

"How so?"

The insane grin returned, _en masse_.

"Because you're a shit faced liar....Mayuri Kurotsuchi."

Before anyone could hope to stop him, the rogue shinigami released the full force of his reaitsu eliciting a collective gasp of surprise from all but Yamamoto, who of course, had been expecting such a thing. Zaraki grinned, not only impressed by the sheer force of the spiritual pressure, but by the massive killer intent that came with it.

"Nice! You've got some nice reaitsu there, Uzumaki! How about I up the ante and giva ya a taste of _mine?!"_

Ukitake paled at the thought of the bloodthirsty captain releasing his reaitsu.

"Captain Zaraki, I really don't think you should-

Too late. With a gleeful cackle, Kenpachi snagged the clasp of his eyepatch with his free hand, and rudely yanked it off, snapping its chain in the process as he threw himself towards Naruto once again. Now, the spiraling energies, one red, the other saffron, filled the room, creating a small explosions at the combatants feet as they slammed into one another.

"Oi, you still standing?" Zaraki called into the smoke.

Naruto's response, came in a small cut on Zaraki's cheek before he too, stalked out of the debris clogged cloud.

"There's your answer, Kenpachi!"

Kyoraku, and Ukitake, both wore a combined expression of shock and horror, and in the case of Kuchiki Byakuya, open disgust at the wanton display of destructive spirit energy and chaos the duo were creating.

Komamura restrained himself from stepping in to seperate the two. It was useless anyway. The moment these two had laid eyes on one another, such an event was bound to occur.

A bead of cold sweat broke out upon Hitsugaya's forehead, matching the dismayed expression he wore.

_'His spiritual pressure...it's unreal! And to match Kenpachi with his eyepatch off..._

Yamamoto and Unohana displayed no such reaction to the sudden exposure of spiritual pressure. Soi fon flinched again, and willed herself to remain upright and not tremble as the crimson/saffron energies loomed above them to take the shape of both a sneering fox head and a massive cackling human skull. Weaker shinigami, such as Kurotsuchi, were forcibly brought to their hands and kness, gasping for breath, air that refused to come.

"For your information," Naruto began, contentedly, unflinching as the air contined to shimmer and spit about the room, as he continued to crash his zanpaktou against Kenpachi's, "I never had the chance to use my full power. After all, you ganged up on me after I got hit by that drug. Numbers were your only advantage then, and now...well, let's just say the odds are in my favor."

As they spun apart again, and nealry collided with a wall, the new captain scowled.

"It's too cramped here. What say we take this elsewhere?"

"Che," Kenpachi relented, glancing at the door. "You've got a point. Too many weaklings in the way."

With a rush of wind, Naruto's reaitsu vanished, only to be replaced by Kenpachi's, shortly before the hulking captain stepped back, slapping his eyepatch back on once again.

Yamamoto, not even bothering to break up the fight, and seeing that the two savage shinigami could no longer control themselves, rapped his cane upon the floor three times.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Kenpachi Zaraki, you are both dismissed from this meeting. Please, try not to leave us with too much collateral damage and report to the fourth squad once your bloodlust has subsisded."

The two bloodthirsty captains didn't reply, they had already burst through the still closed door, the sounds of combat following after them. Even when they were lost from sight, the occasional quake signified that the fighting, though it had been taking elsewhere, remained just as fierce.

Kyoraku summed it all up with a simple sentence.

"Well well, looks like we've found ourself a new captain."

**_Whew! _****_I really hope all of you liked this chapter! I put a lot of thought and work into it, considering everyone's reaction to our favorite troublemaker, though Unohana's reaction will be explained later, as will the reason Kenpachi and Naruto seem to know each other, and finally the horrible, terrible reason Naruto was branded a traitor and got himself sealed in the first place. I think I portrayed Soi fon's frustration pretty well, neh? Anyways, review, and look forward to the next chapter, which will be out very soon!_**

**_Next time: Celebration! Uzumaki Naruto, arriving at the fifth division! A toast to the new captain!_**


	3. Uzumaki Naruto, Arriving!

**_Enjoy everyone! I love your reviews and appreciation! I worked really, really REALLY hard on the fight, and at the same time, didn't give too much away, after all, this wouldn't be a story if I only made the chapters longer, but gave everything away from the get-go, now would it?_**

**_R&R!_**

**_Celebration! Uzumaki Naruto, arriving at the fifth division! A toast to the new captain!_**

The moment the meeting was adjourned, Soi fon distanced herself from the other captains'. She didn't even bother to answer Omaeda's stupid question as to where she was going. Instead, she sprinted out into the Sereitei, searching for the two captains.

They weren't hard to find.

Another explosion blew in the eastern wall of the third division's gondola, spraying hapless shinigami and stone every which way. Everyone ran this way and that, desperate to escape the carnage, but therein lay the problem. The battle was _everywhere_, and constantly moving, taking down more than just walls and rubble as the two combatants raged across the Sereitei.

Soi fon felt a flash of pity for the still hospitalized Kira Izuru. If he had been upset before this, then he'd be downright dismal when he saw what had happened to his division in his abscence.

Huge chunks of entire _buildings_were launched across the streets, scattering soul reapers like leaves on the wind, one even crushed the spot where she'd been standing a moment ago. Soi fon was careful to place herself at a distance from the fighting, but at the same time, be able to view it clearly.

Soifon watched from a distance when the barbaric leader of the eleventh and Naruto started pouring out insane amounts of reiatsu. Curious as to the cause, she masked her reiatsu and shunpoed to a better vantage point on a nearby building where she watched the spectacle. As head of the Secret Mobile Corps, it was her duty to be informed, or so she told herself.

"What a disgrace. Those two have absolutely no concept of restraint or control." Soifon watched nonchalantly as yet another building was destroyed. "I'm going to have to end up teaching some control since no one seems to want to take responsibility for this disaster."

Tsking, she watched as the battle progressed still deeper into the Sereitei, forcing her once again, to abandon her hideaway and pursue its source. Now it was the fourth division that found itself in the path of their destruction.

From down below, she could hear Seventh seat Hanataro Yamada's cries of distress, as well as Kotetsu Isane's. Another flash of pity, then _another_building imploded upon itself followed by demented laughter from Kenpachi as he launched the newly appointed captain through it.

Truly, there was nowhere to run.

"_C'mon!" _Zaraki's cackle ripped through the air as he tore another bloody trench in Naruto's chest, only for the blond to grab the blade and flip himself over the madman's head before the through and through slash could be completed. "Show me your bankai already! It's no fun fighting you when you're like this!"

"Nope." Naruto, spat out a wad of blood around his words before launching Kenpachi back into another one of the nearby barracks with an overly powerful explosive kick. "Not gonna happen."

Zaraki was back up in an instant, exploding through the rubble with such force that Naruto was forced to hack and slash at the huge chunks of stone that came flying his way, and as he bissected the last hunk of concrete, Kenpachi was on him, a crazed look in his eyes.

"Is that so?!"

Ducking under the sweeping left to right swing that threatened to decapitate him, the fifth squad captain found himself instead seized by the face, and slammed into the pavement, the impact of the blow momentarily stunning him, and giving Kenpachi just enough time to stab downward.

Naruto recovered a second later, kicking out with both feet, bucking Kenpachi off him. Instead of taking an eye as it had been meant to, the zanpakutou only claimed a few stray strands of blond hair as Naruto rolled away. But he'd lost sight of Kenpachi during that feverish attempt to escape. Taking your eye off the hulking mammoth of a captain was _not_ a good thing.

A shadow fell over him, and immediately, even as he parried the lazy north to south slash, Soi fon knew her ex-mentor was in trouble.

For the first time, he was caught off guard. Zaraki had performed the same maneuver half a dozen other times in the battle, and every previous time had been followed by a backhand swing to cover the opening left in his guard and counter Naruto's strike. This time, however, instead of striking at Zaraki's body, Naruto had attempted to hit Zaraki's outstretched sword arm.

It was a mistake.

Whether it was a lack of experience due to withdrawal from combat, or just innate stupidity, she knew not, but everyone knew that you did NOT strike at Zaraki's sword arm, not unless you were prepared to dodge immediately afterwards, or had the power to sever it in one strike.

And at the moment, Naruto had neither.

The only warning he had was a widening of Zaraki's grin before pain exploded through his side as Zaraki kicked him, driving his foot into Naruto's body just under the rib cage, and the wind out of him.

The blond silently cursed as the momentum of the kick threw him towards Zaraki's returning swing. Steel met steel squarely, and for the first time, Kenpachi had _both hands_upon the hilt of his sword. Zaraki laughed, eyes wide and bright. "Don't let your guard down, you'll make it too easy for me!" Zaraki, with both hands behind the blade, was far stronger than Naruto had anticipated, and the new captain was sent skidding backwards for several feet.

Zaraki laughed even louder, racing forward to attack again, but Narutorecovered nearly instantly, his wazikashi coming up to deflect Zaraki's strike again, sending it flying to the side as he took a familair crouching stance, leaning his right foot forward while bring his left foot back.

"Sentou Sutsanu (First stance)"

This time, Zaraki wasn't quite quick enough to bring his sword back to block, the _tachi_slicing upwards and across his chest all the way up to his collarbone, the reaitsu running along the surface of the blade burning the area around the wound, causing it to blead heavily.

"Kizu.(Gash)" Naruto finished, naming the first form of his elaborate style referring to how the wound bleed more than any normal slice in the skin should allow.

Kenpachi wasn't impressed, and neither was Soi fon.

That style just forced one's reaitsu into your opponent, and therefore, accelerated the blood flow. It essentially meant that you'd bleed to death if you were hit by the techinque several times, but at the same time, Naruto wasn't known for using it that way. And against Kenpachi, that form was rendered virtually useless.

No matter how many times you cut that madman, he would just come right back for more, regardless of how much blood he lost. Surely Naruto-taichou...er, _Naruto_, knew this, so why was he using that form?

_"Again_with that pansy bullshit." Zaraki grunted, the smile disappearing from his face as quickly as it had come. "I already told you," Releasing his blade, he reached out with his hand, grabbing Naruto's wrist, holding him in place as Zaraki brought his own Zanpakuto whistling around, set on a collision course with the blonde's chest.

"Show me your bankai!"

Now it was Zaraki's turn to hiss in surprise as the impaled Naruto _vanished_leaving his sword to pass through thin air, its target reappearing several feet away, and unscathed, though lacking his cloak and haori. He'd just used _shunpo_for the very first time since their fight had begun, and not just any shunpo, but an elite version of it at that.

_"Way of Onmitsu, 3rd of the Shihou: Utsusemi. (Cicada)"_

No surprise there. He'd been adopted into the Shihoin clan, after all. It was only natural that he knew those kind of techniques. Still, Soi fon felt a glimmer of jealousy rise within her chest. How was it that he, a traitor who had been left to rot for one hundred years, could easily keep up with Kenpachi Zaraki, when _she_ had barely survived her encounter with him during her captain exam?

No, something was off about him. If anything, Uzumaki Naruto felt stronger than ever, and the likely reason this battle hadn't ended yet was his apparent reluctance to release his zanpaktou, which only stung Soi fon all the more. Such arrogance! Where did it come from?!

"Che," Zaraka scoffed suddenly, tossing the cloak aside with a flick of his wrist. "Using cheap tricks like flash steps, eh? Are ya really _that_worn out already? Or are you planning on hiding behind some bullshit kido next?" Naruto blinked slowly, breathing heavily. Zaraki was right. He was horribly out of practice. He _hadn't_ been in a fight for over a century, and if this continued, he really _would_ have to release.

Soi fon found herself rather anxious to see Naruto's shikai as well. From what little she knew of it, it was an elemental type, but she'd never really seen it in action before. And his bankai was another matter altogether. It'd been said that once fully released, Naruto could contend with three captains at full power. He'd only ever released it twice, once upon and achieving it, and the second, shortly before he'd been sealed away.

She hadn't been there to see it, but five captains had returned half dead, and been on life support the sickbay for months after that fated battle in the Rukongai. She'd felt the reaitsu of it too, even through the seki seki walls that lined the Soul Society. Quite frankly, that had terrified her, and she'd buried her head in a pillow until the sinister spiritual pressure finally vanished.

Now, she felt it again. It was rising, slowly, steadily, filling the void that had been left by bloodloss and exhaustion. She quailed at the thought of seeing that demonic force at work again.

"Hate to break it to ya, Zaraki," Naruto's voice snapped Soi fon out of her thoughts, and she realized that they had been holding a conversation during her irritable musings. "But you're looking pretty banged up yourself."

Indeed, Kenpachi wasn't faring well either.

Practically _drenched_ in blood, the eleventh squad had a particularly annoying vertical gash running down over his forehead. He had to squint his eyes to see straight, and wiping the blood away was a constant irritant. That last slash had nearly taken his arm off, and his vision was starting to dim, just a bit.

But he didn't seem to care, and after all, who could blame him? Shinigami of Naruto's caliber didn't just pop up everyday. In fact, the last time Zaraki had actually fought a major battle, had been during the ryoka invasion.

Both panted heavily for a moment, and Soi fon could tell from a glance that their bodies probably felt like lead.

"I don't know about you, but I'm beat to hell." Naruto smiled, this time it was friendly. "You don't look much better. I'm going to put all my reiatsu into one final attack. How about we go out with a bang?"

"Sounds good to me." Kenpachi grinned, his respect for the blond increasing further. "You ever see me fight using both hands AND full power?" He gripped his zanpakuto in both hands and pushed out what remaining reiatsu he had, forming a giant yellow skull full of pure destructive force.

"No, and now you're making me a little nervous." Naruto surprised Soi fon by _sheathing_the tachi and the wazikashi, instead opting to make use of the rust coated silver nodachi strapped to his back. It came free with a grinding hiss, the decay slipping off its tapered surface until the point finally escaped the long yellow sheathe. Gripping the field sword in a similar manner, his own spiritual pressure formed the giant redish black version of a demented grinning fox.

"Here I come."

"Haha!" Kenpachi gave one last laugh. "Just like old times!"

The two let out a cry as they charged at each other, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. Each put everything they had into their swing, the zanpakutos colliding like two freight trains. If the resulting explosion at the beginning of their battle had been like a bomb, this one was like a nuclear warhead. Every building within a block of them was instantly turned to dust. Even some farther out fell apart from the strain, and buildings as far as three blocks away developed cracks in the foundations. Shinigami twenty miles away could sense the release of pressure.

Soi fon winced behind the kido barrier she'd placed between herself and the oncoming wave of reaitsu. It began to crack against the strain that was being forced on it, and for a moment, looked as if it were about to give.

In the middle of the explosion two shinigami stood, each pushing with everything they had, straining themselves to the limit and beyond. It was too much for anyone to endure. Coupled with the damage they had taken earlier, they had surpassed the breaking point. Cracks started to appear on both Naruto's and Kenpachi's unknown zanpakuto, each digging into each other until finally both blades fell from slackened hands. It was almost comical when the zanpakuto gave way and the two slammed into each other from the sudden lack of force holding them apart.

Without their zanpakuto the waves of reiatsu quickly died down. Neither one moved, in fact the only thing keeping them standing was the fact that they were leaning against each other, each too weak to move. Kenpachi started to laugh, and he was soon joined by Naruto.

"Not bad, Uzumaki! I haven't felt like this since I fought with Ichigo!

Naruto tried to laugh, but ended up coughing up blood instead." Heh, I think my ribs are broken and I'm aching all over, but all in all I'd say I feel pretty good."

"Me too."

Neither said anything more as they collapsed to the ground in a heap, unconsciousness claiming them both.

"Oh my, they've certainly made a mess, haven't they?"

With a startled hiss, Soi fon whirled around, the kido barrier shattering from lack of concentration.

"U-Unohana-taichou?!"

It took only a few moments for Retsu to stabilize the two warriors for transport. Summoning Minazuki, Unohana ordered her zanpakuto to swallow them so his stomach fluids would accelerate their healing process. The giant manta ray knelt down for her master to board and Unohana told Soi fon climb aboard as well. And though the younger captain initially refused, Unohana again, with a pleasant tone of voice, told Soi fon to _climb aboard_. Something told Soi fon she should do as told, and so together the two captains flew towards their destination.

--

_Uzumaki Naruto, ex-traitor, current captain, and brooding shinigami, hung between life and death._ _As he hung there he remembered his past. Some events, typical and useless, others of vast importance. One in particular, he held near and dear. He began to remember, remember the first time he saw her, the woman who had changed his life, though for the better or the worse still remained questionable._

_That day, the day they met, he was in a hurry, nodding stiffly to those that greeted him, swiftly striding through the halls of his division._

_His first day as captain of the second division had been most unpleasant thus far. He'd woken up to the announcement that he was now the captain of the second division, and THAT made him the head of the Shihoin clan as well, consider that he had already been slated to become Yoruichi's successor. And unfortunately, as head of one of the four noble clans, that meant sitting on weekly meetings._

_This meeting just so happened to be at the Kuchiki clan compound._

_He'd missed breakfast, and his cup of coffee, in his haste to get out the door. Now, Naruto wasn't one for appearances, but he didn't want any of those prissy nobles to think that he was some unintelligent brute. Not that he cared, anwyays._

_Of course, he forgot all about that once he saw her._

_Slate gray eyes and long black hair, which she kept up in intricate white headpieces called kenseikan symbolizing her nobility as the head of the Kuchiki family, each one one the side of her head, forming an intricate braid that allowed a thick strand of hair to fall across the middle of her face. Aside from the bleached white color of her shihakusho, she wore the standard shinigami uniform along with a white scarf made by some hotshot master weaver, whose name he didn't care to remember. The scarf, made from the silver-white, windflower light silk (ginpaku kazahana no uzuginu) was a family heirloom that was handed down from generation to generation and is given to each Kuchiki family head._

_So this was a noble._

_"Do we interest you?"_

_Naruto tore his gaze away, and found those same grey eyes boring into his own. Her head was tilted slightly. The gesture itself proclaimed nobility and elegance, causing him to swallow the sharp rebuke he had planned to forgive. Momentarily forgetting how late he was, sapphire blue eyes watched the way her tresses floated, how her hair parted into clips at her temples, the half-bun on the back of her head and the way the thick strand of hair seemed to drift in between her gorgeous, pale eyes to drift back over her shoulder and into her sleek hair._

_"You must be the new captain." _

_Slackjawed, Naruto finally found his voice._

_"Y-Yeah."_

_"I hope you will do the Shihoin clan proud." She replied, walking past him._

_He stared after her, and thus, was rewarded a small smile as she paused, glanced over her shoulder towards him. __"In case you are wondering, Uzumaki Shihoin, my name is Yukiko Kuchiki. We'll be seeing each other quite often, so I trust you can remember my name?"_ _And then she was gone, leaving only the scent of cherry blossoms in her wake._

_Naruto shook his head. The woman had left a mark on him, and he'd only known her for ten seconds._

_"Yukiko Kuchiki, huh? She's really something."_

_--_

Uzumaki Naruto came to then, and found himself wrapped in bandages. He didn't have to look around, he already knew where he was. He'd been in this bed multiple times, always with Unohana Retsu looking over him, checking him for injuries, just as she was now.

"How are you feeling?"

"Kenpachi...?" Naruto gasped, trying to sit up, only for the soft spoken captain to force him back down.

"He'll live." Unohana turned her gaze towards the mummified man in the bed beside Naruto, his identity confirmed only by the thick, spiky, bell studded hair that stuck out through the wrappings. "And you?"

"Give me a sec." He closed his eyes, and when they reopened, the sapphire blue had been stained a rich, terrible crimson. His irises inverted, become straigh, vertical slights. Red reaitsu shrouded his body, forcing itself into his wounds with mechanical efficiency.

Naruto flexed his arms, and the bloody bandages on his upper body abruptly shredded themselves into nothingness. Sitting up, revealed, was perfect, flawless, tan human skin, laced with battle scars here and there, but fully healed nonetheless.

"Good as new." He afforded his fellow captain a rare grin. "Maybe even better."

Retsu smiled in return.

"My abilities had nothing to do with it. You heal unnaturally fast, Naruto-san."

Swnging his legs off the side of the bed, Naruto revealed that they too had healed. Before he'd even stood up, she'd handed him a replacement shihakusho, as well as a white haori.

He smirked again.

"You know me too well, Retsu-chan."

--

When Uzumaki Naruto _finally _passed through the gates of the at fifth division, he did so with absolutely no attempt to compress his spiritual pressure. He didn't care if everyone stared, but the ragged haori he wore, emblazoned with the Japanese symbol for _five_ made it all too clear who he was, and what his purpose here would be. Without a word, he marched right into the pavilion, where most of the squad members were milling about listlessly.

"Alright you maggots, listen up!"

The authoritive voice, coupled with his already oppressive reaitsu drew everyone's attention to him. One in particular he recognized right away, and quite frankly, he wasn't happy to see her again.

"Ano... Why are you wearing a captain's haori?"

Disgust flared up within Naruto's heart. "Why am I wearing a haori? Really?" What, did she think he was playing dress up or something? Was she _really _that naieve, or did blissful ignorance still cloud her thoughts? Absurd. He could not, would not, tolerate this stupidity

"Fuku-taichou," Naruto began quietly, putting great emphasis in his words, speaking slowly as her eyes widened, "I'm only going to say this once, so clear out your ears real good. It's captain."

"N-Nani?"

_"Captain." _Naruto repeated, his sapphire orbs boring pointedly into Hinamori's timid hazel eyes. "You are to call me _captain _Uzumaki from here on out, not Naruto-kun, or Naruto-san, not even Naruto-donno. I am your _captain_, and therefore, you will address me as Uzumaki-_taichou. _Do we understand each other, _lieutenant?"_

A disbelieving murmur ran through the crowd.

"Oi...

"Is there a problem?" Naruto straightened up to address them, only to be met with a host of disbelieving stares, some of which were openly hostile, others, fear, jealousy, but _none_ of them respect.

Unacceptable. If these men and women did not _respect_ him then how could they be expected to _obey_him in a time of crisis? No, as their captain, he required unflinching loyalty, and nothing less. Dampening down on the reaitsu he was releasing, Naruto addressed his subordinates once more, this time in a softer, yet nonetheless stern, tone.

Calm down. He had to calm down. Flying into a berserk rage wouldn't solve anything, he had to be civil. He had to address the matter at hand, the pain that his predecessor had left behind for him.

"I understand that some of you might be wary to trust another captain, after what happened to your lieutenant. Betrayal is terrible terrible thing, trust me, I can speak from experience. It clouds the heart with doubt, and shatters one's confidence, and all of you will likely die wondering why Aizen Sosuke betrayed you all the way he did. Right now, you're probably thinking, 'I don't like this guy,' or 'How can we be expected to follow another captain so soon?' but I haven't been chosen to lead you."

Before anyone could speak out, he continued:

"I _chose_ to lead you. I _chose _to seek out this division, knowing how wary you are, knowing that the wound left by Aizen's betrayal will never truly heal, that it would always leave a scar upon your hearts. Yes, I have my own imperfections, yes we may not get along, but I _will_ say this now."

He paused then, allowing his words to sink in.

Silence.

But his words were starting to have an effect, Naruto could tell that right away. He had their complete and undivided attention, and now, he had to make use of it before it was gone.

"Believe me when I say this. Have faith in me for what I am about to say_. I will protect you._ I will fight for you. I will lay my very life on the line, and I will lay that very life down and die for you if I must. As your captain, that is not only my duty, but my _promise_. If the enemy comes to our very doorstep, then I will fight him until my very last breath!"

Awe began to fill their eyes.

"However, do not think that I will tolerate any insubordination. I am your captain, and as such, I expect you to trust my judgement and follow my orders to the letter. If you have a dispute with me or my methods, settle it with _me_, not your comrades. If you no longer wish to serve under my command, then you may transfer yourself to another division at your own discretion. I will not force you to stay."

"Therefore, I only ask this of you." Naruto now exhaled softly, allowing his shoulders to droop slightly. Damnit, he was really starting to get into this whole speech thing. He had to wrap it up while he still had their undivided attention, or everything would unravel.

"Will you trust me?"

Silence again. Now that he had finished speaking, his spell over them was broken. It was up to them to decide whether or not they would accept him as their captain, and nothing he could say now would either help or hinder his situation. He had only to wait, and so he did, until...

Slowly, someone began to clap. Then another, and another, and still another after that, until the entire _division_ was filled with the glorious sound of cheers, raised fists, and other varying signs of confirmation.

"TAICHOU!" the cry went up, and was soon joined by others, until everyone but Hinamori was chanting it, yet even she wore a small smile. It would be awhile before she referred to him as her captain, but then again, that was only expected.

Soi fon couldn't help it. She felt just a trickle of respect return, along with that thin smile. Naruto's charisma was infectious, and despite how she loathed him, it was difficult for her to resist the urge to cheer as well. He'd always been a born leader, but not in the typical sense. If you were feeling down, he'd kick you until you screamed, got to your feet, and tried to kill him. Once you failed to do that, and you would because you just couldn't kill this bastard, he'd ask you if you were feeling better.

Nine times out of ten it worked. And now, Naruto had swiftly taken the reigns to the fifth division in a slightly different, yet nonetheless effective approach. They'd accepted him, and there was nothing Soi fon could do about it. She could only look on silently as the afternoon sun rose into the sky, whilst Uzumaki was led into his new home.

Hatred welled up inside her heart.

_'Naze? Why? Why is he so powerful? Why does everyone trust him? Why am I so angry? Why do I care about all of this? He isn't my superior, not anymore, he has no hold over me, so why? Why do I..._

She squeezed a hand into a fist until it bled.

_'Why do I still care?'_

**_Phew! I told ya'll the next chapter would be out soon, didn't I? And here it is? I hope you all enjoy the mystery and intrigue I've been keeping up so far, because trust me, it ain't you liked this chapter, then you'll LOVE the next one, as its time for Naruto's official celebration as a captain, thrown by none other than Shunsui Kyoraku! Trouble, anyone? Oh, and one last thing. Does anyone know how you say, :Long time no see, in japanese? Anyone?_**

**_Next time: A Captain's Toast! A Captain's Life! The Gotei Thirteen's Celebration Ceremony!_**


	4. Myriad of Memories

**_Arigatou! Everyone! I love your reviews and appreciation! I worked really, really REALLY hard on the party scenes and at the same time, didn't give too much away, after all, this wouldn't be a story if I only made the chapters longer, but gave everything away from the get-go, now would it?_**

**_R&R!_**

**_A Captain's Toast! A Captain's Life! The Gotei Thirteen's Celebration Ceremony!_**

As Naruto set himself down in the chair, as everyone spilled back out into the hallways, as the door slid shut behind him as he _finally_ had the time to realize how _bland _his new office was, a thought entered his mind. Now what? He'd succesfully managed to wrest everyone's attention away from Aizen, maintained his new position as captain, but now what? He essentially had no idea as to what to do next.

Then the shattering of glass filled the room. He didn't have time to glance around, didn't have the time to wonder how he hadn't sensed them coming, only to react. His body threw itself into action, years upon years of practiced instinct taking over in a heartbeat as he threw himself over the desk and towards the door.

Barely catching her fist in time. His assailant was skilled in hand to hand combat, he knew that right away, but the rest vanished in a blur as he threw her over his shoulder, and saw her.

He found himself face to face with a tall woman, her face hidden in tan skinwrap that covered all but her golden eyes and a long, violet purple ponytail that stuck out behind it.

"You?" He frowned, raising one hand in a defensive claw.

He moved again to pass her, and she moved to block him, and it was almost with relief that he struck out at her face. It was just a feint, and when she ducked, he jammed at her stomach with his knee, but she twisted so that the blow didn't fall true, and came back with a fist to his stomach.

"Oof!"

A small smirk twisted his face. She really could fight, and so a fight would be had.

Dropping all semblance of defense, he jumped, and in response, she kicked at his chest. He crashed to the ground, and she threw herself on top of him, struck him in the face, once, twice, three times, and kneed him in the side before he was able to throw her off. She was on him again in an instant, but as she tried to pin his arms, he flipped her onto her back, pinning her with the weight of his body.

She curled her legs up and heaved him away, and then they were on their feet again, crouching, circling, striking at each other with hands and feet. She kicked at his stomach, and barreled into his chest, and they were on the ground again. Hand to hand combat wasn't exactly Naruto's _forte_, but with little left to do he grappled with his attacker.

And he was getting pretty good at it, hand to hand combat that is.

He didn't know how long they'd been grappling when he realized...she was _laughing. _As he flipped her, he understood her joy, understood it completely. She'd never had such a fight, she'd never had such an opponent. She was faster than he was offensively, much faster, but he was her better in strength and stamina, and she'd never known a fighter with such tenacity as Naruto Uzumaki. She was calling up moves she hadn't tried since she was a child, blows she'd only ever imagined having the opportunity to use on anyone but Kisuke.

Yet this was different than her basic sparring practice with Kisuke, back when they were kids, trying to improve their skills. They were _playing_. It was a game for the two of them now, to see who could pin the other, before he/she pinned you. When Naruto wriggled out of her hold, pinned her arms behind her back, grabbed a soft fistful of her hair, shoving her face roughly, but not too roughly now, into the ground, she was laughing as well.

"You tricked me." He panted, irritated that he'd been baited into sparring with her, more out of frustration than anything, but he'd fallen for it only frustrated him further, and when he felt her move, he tightened his grip, just enough to hold her, or so he thought.

"Oh did I?" She kicked her feet up at him abd squirmed her arms out of his grasp. She elbowed him in the face, and when he jumped to avoid what would've been a crippling blow, she flew at him, flattening him to the ground. She pinned his arms just as she had done, and shoved _his _face into the dirt. Finally, she dug one knee into the small of his back.

It was over.

"Surrender, brother." Her ponytail had come loose at some point during their little scuffle, and now it was tickling at his nose, along with the loosened fabric of the cloth that she'd worn over her face. "I win this time."

He mumbled something into the floor, and she arched an eyebrow, pulling his head out of the carpet so she could hear him properly.

"Pardon?"

Naruto spat an amused swear word as she released him, yet refused to get off his back, something he did not protest to. "Any particular reason why you smashed through my window and beat the crap out of me just now?"

"Winning isn't everything, Naruto." The Goddess of Flash replied.

"That doesn't mean it isn't important" He twisted his neck to smirk at her. She'd always call him brother, despite the fact that he'd thrown aside the title of Shihoin to his name. After all, they were pretty much the same age, give or take a few decades. Familial bonds like that lasted for entire centuries.

"Simply put, I have centuries of experience on my side." She sighed, tying her hair back once more. "You've only just started practicing your hakudo, that is, hand to hand combat training, again. After being cooped up in that seal for a hundred years, it makes sense that you'd lose to someone like me. In fact," She rolled her shoulders, popping the joints there. "I'd say its only natural."

"It's still not fair." He retorted.

"Aw," She teased, reaching down to ruffle his hair, an action that would draw forth a sputtering crimson blush in lesser men. "You're pouting again. How precious."

--

Coming out of the exceedingly long flash of pain, Soi fon shook her head in exasperation, briefly buried her head in both hands, and sighed. Not only were these flashbacks becoming increasingly random, but they were leaving her with a splitting headache. She needed to get out of here, away from him, before she recalled more of her painful past.

Thus, she nearly fell off her chair when turned to go, only to find an pair of angry blue eyes glaring at her, mere centimeters from her face. She's forgotten where she was.

"Have you been spying on me, Soi fon?"

The thick smell of tobacco drifted towards her, causing her to cringe.

He'd had the scent of smoke about him then, too. The day everything had started to change, he'd reeked of smoke and cigars. It was a pleasant smell, really, better than the sake and flowers captain Kyoraku often stank off, and certainly preferable to the scent of blood that always lingered about Zaraki...

_--_

_They circled each other. She was waiting for any small movement out of the man before her, any reason to begin her attack._

_Her patience was soon rewarded as he lashed out with a kick. She blocked the blow with her forearm, her wrist twisting around to clasp the man's ankle. No sooner had her fingers curled about his leg, then she found herself holding empty air. She whirled, catching the offending kick that came from the right, pulled her opponent's leg forward, yanking him into her waiting foot._

_Again, no contact was made. He'd caught her heel in his palm, and before she could blink, he used her face to launch himself up into the air. He spun as he ascended, both of his legs kicking outward and into her now materializing body, fresh out of a flash step._

_Once more using her body as a springboard, he maintained his airborne status as pushed himself off her shoulders, his leap carrying him into oneof the many trees that line the clearing. Upon landing she kicked him in the temple with the side of her heel before vanishing in a blast of shunpo. _

_He staggered back, rubbing at his sore eye, and she felt a surge of elation widen her eyes as surprise shone in his. A hit! Excitement overtaking her, she shot forward again, Suzemabachi curled back then thrust forward, ready to administer the first crest that would lead to her death in two steps ability._

_The stinger met a white wall of reaitsu before it could reach his chin. The man stood back up, smirking as his haori shredded itself into nothingness, followed shortly thereaftet by the upper half of his shihakusho._

_"Shunko." He declared, lips pulling into a quirk of a smirk. "Don't tell me you forgot about this, Soi fon?"_

_Not waiting for her answer, he thrust his right hand forward, discarding both the incancation, and number._

_"Sho.(Thrust)" Powered by the incredible energies of the flash cry, the level one spell powered through her defenses, and shoved her away from him. She hit the ground hard, the soft mud cushioning her fall, but only barely. She struggled to rise, but the sound of clapping distracted her._

_"Alright, alright, let's wrap this up before you DO kill me."_

_Soi turned around to see Naruto leaning against the wall of the pavilion, smiling and shaking his head lightly. Realizing she had been outdone, Soi fonsmiled in return as she walked over to her master. She still had much to learn, but that strike was the beginning. She was getting better, and for the first time, a hint of pride filled her eyes._

_She felt better already._

_"I take it something's bothering you?" he inquired as she reached him, the white light already fading from his form, leaving the shaggy blond bangs to fall back over his face, framing his eyes. It gave him an almost rugged, feral appearance, as if he were not of this world, but of the next._

_"How could you tell?" she asked with surprise, trying to avert her eyes, but at the same time, failing to do so._

_"You always try to kill me when things don't go your way." _

_"C-Captain, we were training," she said shortly, hoping he would believe her lie. For a moment, just as the end there, she really_ had _been trying to kill him. Her reasons were her own, but truth be told Soi fon was angry. She was frustrated with the Sou-taichou's ruling that she wasn't allowed to take the rank of fuku-taichou yet. Naruto-sama hadn't even spoken out for her, instead, he'd just remained silent, quietly returning her incredulous glare, as if daring her to speak out against the decision. She did not. And so instead, Soi fon languished at third seat, and the lieutenant position remained empty._

_"Bullshit." Naruto ignored the look she shot him; he had obviously calculated the risk of that comment ahead of time. He knew it would get him in trouble later, but it was worth it, he just seemed to get a rise out of provoking others. He smirked._

_"Let's take a break, Soi fon." He reached up to tenderly feel out his eye, then winced, clearly in a great deal of pain. "I need to tend to that nasty little shiner you just gave me."_

_Elation filled her again._

_They'd just finished sparring, and she'd hit him! She couldn't stop think about it, even as he pulled out his sword and began to clean its already glistening surface, whilst allowing her to put a wet cloth over the throbbing wound. With little to do in their free time, the Onmitskido mostly indulged in their own private matters, but for Naruto, all you'd ever see him doing in his spare time would be polishing his sword, or occasionally sparring with other division members. And now, she had an injury._

_Both the latter and former were an exceedingly rare occurence, which was why Soi fon was surprised to see him now pull a cigar out of his pocket, snap his figner without even reciting the kido's name or number, and begin to smoke it. He never smoked._

_"Ano...taichou?"_

_"Hmm?" He looked up from polishing his zanpaktou, and upon finding no imperfections in the wazikashi, sheathed it with a quick, fluid motion. He'd always polish that sword, but strangely enough, leave the tachi and nodachi of his zanpaktou be. Now, his good eye focused on her_

_"When did you start smoking?"_

_"Naze?" He grinned around the rich cuban cigar, holding it with his teeth. "Well, technically, we're already dead, so you really don't think the occasional smoke's gonna kill me, do you?" Before she could ask again, he flicked a bit of ash off the end and held it to her lips. "Here, why don't you give it a try?"_

_Soi fon frowned. It tasted funny. She then made the mistake of inhaling it and instantly regretted it. Coughing and spluttering, she felt her eyes begin to water with hot, stinging tears, whilst her body tried to rid itself of the foul toxins that now filled her nose and lungs._

_"Baka. Not like that!" His laughter spilled across the courtyard, and she blushed as he took the cirgar away from her lips, pressed it to his own, then inhaled deeply, slowly, quietly. "You've got to savor it, not snort it." __Pursing his lips, he blew, creating three, small rings of smoke with each breath._

_"Like that."_

_Soi fon crinkled her nose and shook her head, unable to hide her displeasure. One taste was more than enough for her, and she didn't intend to have that foul smoke running down her throat again._

_Another laugh._

_"We're all entitled to our own opinions, Soi fon. Go ahead, you want to say something, don't you?"_

_"I don't like it." She replied, folding her arms and pouting, donning a more feminine expression. "It tastes horrible, and I STILL don't understand how you can tolerate something that tastes so horrible."_

_"Maybe it's an acquired taste?" He teased._

_"I doubt it." Soi fon stuck out her tongue before launching herself into a quick series of push ups, another unusual gesture for her, as she never, ever tried to show off in front of her captain. She never grew her hair long either, but that was also something she had done in recent months. "You said it yourself. You've only just started smoking. How can it be an acquired taste then?"_

_"Because my fiance gave me them."_

_Soi fon hadn't been expecting that. Stunned, her hands lost their sweat soaked purchase on tiled floor, and she fell facefirst. _

_"Y-Your fiance?"_

_--_

"Oi." He poked her on the head with one finger. "You spacing out again?"

--

"A...party?" The expression Naruto wore was nothing short of incredulous. Hinamori had arrived in his office shortly after he'd been escorted here, and he hadn't even finished settling in before she'd made the suggestion.

"H-Hai." She fidgeted a bit under his stare. "It wasn't really my idea, but-

"Hisashiburi danna ne, Naruto-kun!"

"Eh?" For once, the blond taichou wore a look of pure, open confusion, as none other than Shunsui Kyoraku entered the room, having been here since Momo had begun been speaking, now choosing to make his presence known. "Kyoraku, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Preventing you from doing paperwork!" Came the captain's loose response. "What else?"

Naruto remained silent for a moment longer, before sighing.

"Well then, I can't say no to that, now can I?"

--

It was later that night that Naruto acquainted himself with the lieutenants' and other shinigami.

"Any particular reason everyone here keeps staring at me?" He asked one of them, a petite shinigami with amethyst blue eyes that held just a hint of purple. He heard someone call her name from a nearby table. 'Rukia' it sounded like.

Realizing that he was speaking to her, the girl stiffened slightly, realizing that she too had been caught staring.

"Sumimasen. You just that closely resemble a friend of mine, Uzumaki-taichou. That, and," and now a slightly befuddled look entered her eyes, "I apologize if I'm being rude, it's just that...well, I've never seen you before. If you don't mind me asking, what squad were you from before your promotion?"

_'Promotion?' _Naruto rolled his eyes at what Rukia thought was an innocent question._'Does getting out of jail count as being promoted? Sure, lets just call it that. I don't want anyone thinking I'm some kind of lunatic'_The shinigami saw this, mistook if for annoyance, and her lips curved into a frown.

"Sir, if you'd rather not say-

"I was originally from the second division." Naruto didn't know why he bothered to answer her, but he did. "Old man Yama was the one who suggested I take the position as a captain, so I agreed, if he'd stop bugging me for the next three hundred years."

"Three hundred years?"

Crap. He realized his mistake right away. Only Shunsui called Yamamoto that, and he'd likely given away that he was at least a few centuries old, something Rukia probably wasn't aware of until now.

"I didn't catch your name." He asked, trying to steer the subject _anywhere_ but there.

"It's Rukia." She replied though without the smile this time, a clear sign of confusion and suspicion. "Rukia Kuchiki."

_Rukia Kuchiki._At this, any semblance of curiosity Naruto had been harboring all but vanished. _Kuchiki. Kuchiki. Rukia Kuchiki._ It echoed in his mind, over and over again, until it drowned everything else out. There was something terrible about this girl that he _needed_ to remember, but when he tried to, the knowledge slipped through his fingers, much to his frustration. Realizing this, he tried to speak, but found that his strength deserted him, and his voice had dropped to barely a whisper.

"Did you say...Kuchiki? You were _born_into the Kuchiki family?"

"Um..."Rukia fidgeted a bit, rubbing her hands together and refusing to meet his gaze. Whether it was out of confusion or embarassment, Naruto couldn't be sure. He just knew that there was something very, _very_ important about that name that he wasn't able to remember. Why?

"No."

Naruto blinked in surprise, feeling an odd mixture of relief and dissapointment that he couldn't explain. But allowed Rukia to continue, speaking, while at the same time, doing his best to appear interested.

"I wasn't, not originally. Nii-sama adopted me into his family."

"I-I see." He wiped at his brow, only to find that he had broken out in a cold sweat AND as he pulled his hand away, he found that it was trembling, ever so slightly. "Sorry about that, I was just curious."

"Uzumaki-taichou, is something wrong?"

Something _was_wrong. He couldn't think straight, his shihakusho suddenly felt like it was strangling him, and there were too many prying eyes, too many loose lips asking annoying questions.

He needed to get out of here.

He needed air.

Now.

Ignoring the question Rukia had asked, Naruto mumbled something about getting them a drink, then purposely lost Rukia in the crowd that had started to form around the bar. Unfortunately, as Naruto tried to make his way towards the door, a hand snagged him from behind and forcibly dragged him _toward_ the bar.

"Hey, you're not leaving us, are you? You haven't even had a drink yet, right, Kyoraku-taichou?" Naruto, trying to politely refuse the invitation to share a drakn, instead found himself staring a woman with crystal blue eyes, strawberry blond hair, and a rather sizeable bust that was practically falling out of her loosely cut kimono.

"Hey, my eyes are up here."

Doing his best to control himself, the blond captain _slowly_ turned his gaze away, in an effort to conceal the obvious rise he had gotten out of staring at her for those three seconds.

"Oho. You certainly aren't wasting any time, are you?"

"Yeah. Same to you." Naruto muttered swiftly, clinking his sake bottle against Kyroaku's and doing his best to avoid making small talk, which, with Shunsui Kyoraku in the nearby vicinity, was an absolute impossibility. "Um...So tell me, how's Nanao-san doing? I heard she's your lieutenant now."

In reply to _that_comment, a sly smile grew across Kyoraku's face. He leaned forward and clasped Naruto's shoulder, his voice thick with both alcohol and amusement.

"Oho, interested in Nanao-chan, are we? I never knew you had the hots for her."

_'Not on your life.'_

Naruto feigned a smile.

"Of course...not. She's _your_ lieutenant after all."

"And a fine one my Nanao-chan is!" Shunsui crowed merrily, tipping backwards a bit and almost toppling clear off his stool. "Let's have a drink to her then! And to having you back with us again!"

Realizing he couldn't escape it, Naruto sighed, raised his glass, and used his best theatrical voice:

"And may you find someone who can keep up with your womanizing ways!"

"Haha!" Shunsui snickered. "I'll drink to that!"

The two laughed, one more heartily than the other, and drank their sake.

"So..."Shunsui drawled/slurred, clearly starting to feel the effects of the sake, "Do any of the beauties here catch your eye, Naruto-kun?" Both Soi fon _and _Naurto stiffened at that remark, though for different reasons. Naruto had stiffened slightly, pain flashing through his eyes, before they narrowed slightly. His gaze swiveled across the room, making its way towards her.

"Actually, I _do_ see someone."

Soi fon, still unaware of the fact that she'd just now been spotted, swore under her breath as she felt another flashback, accompanied by a sharp and painful migraine, coming on.

_'Not again..._

_--_

_The day that he...dissapeared...Soi fon took it upon herself to burn all of his belongings. Pictures, books, ramen collection, everything. He wouldn't be coming back, she told herself, so what was the point in holding onto useless memento's that would only remind her of the traitor? Anger was an acid that did more harm to the vessel in which it was stored, that to anything on which it could be poured, but right now, she wanted to pour her rage over_ everything, _including all his belongings_.

_It would giver her a sense of solace, she told herself. If every single trace of him was gone, then she'd only be left with memories, and hopefully, even those would fade away with time. But it was not to be. Midway through her rampage, she'd found the box of expensive cigars stashed away under his bed, or rather, beneath his bed, as she found the hidden compartment in which they'd been stored._

_"Don't touch!" The not taped to the box, that was Naruto's. He always left signs like that around. Fighting the tears that threatened to break through her resolve, Soi fon crumpled the note and tossed it aside. Only to find another, this one stapled down onto the velvet lining the lid of the box, so as to make certain it wouldn't be thrown away._

_There had been two notes written on the box. The first one, in big, black letters that she'd disposed off, but this one, beneath that, written in a smaller, more elabarote penmanship:_

_"To my dearest beloved, I hope you enjoy these, and think of me always."_

_~ Yukiko_

_That tore it. This woman, this stupid dead bitch was the cause of all the pain that had been building and building up inside until it was ready to burst. She couldn't bring herself to understand it. As Fuku-taichou of the second division, she should shrug this off as if it were nothing._

_But as Soi fon, she couldn't. She could not bring herself to seperate her emotions from these matters, they were to inexplicably intertwined. Tears pooled in her eyes, rolled down her cheeks, followed by scr_

_"BANKAI!" Soi fonshrieked aloud, not caring if anyone saw the massive hulking form of Jakuhō Raikōben attached to her arm, not caring if her reaitsu practically shredded the room into a pile of rubble._

_The next day, Soi fon took up smoking as yet another one of her bad habits._

--

"O

--

_"Naze....Naze, Naruto?" Confusion, tears, and sorrow filled her eyes, contrasting her soft, gentle voice, floating across the clearing as she approached him with a bewildered gait. "Why are you doing this? Wasn't tomorrow our wedding day? The day we would announce our love to the world?"_

_"..."_

_"Why?" Why won't you answer me?" She ran a hand through his hair, her own dark locks perfectly framing her face, and the tear that ran along the delicate curve of her cheek. "Why won't you speak to me, Naruto?"_

_"Urusai!" He pointed the blade at her throat, the motion eliciting a small, tearful sob from her. "Do not come near me!" Bewildered, not knowing what else to say, she proved unable to hold back her tears any longer. __"Have I done something to upset you? Please, tell me what it is! What is it that I have done wrong?!"_

_His_

_She fell to her knees, covering her face, muffling her cries._

_"Lady Kuchiki!"_

_It all hapened so fast._

_"Away with you!" She shrieked at her bodyguards. "I did not call for you!"_

_A flash of red, a scream, the wet squelch of a sword penetrating and leaving flesh. __He stared at her corpse, eyes widening in disbelief as her blood soaked his hands, pooled at his feet. _

_"No...this wasn't supposed to happen." He cradled her head in his lap, but she did not stir, did not move, did not show the faintest sign of life. "It...It he wasn't going to...no...NO! Y__ukiko....YUKIKO!"_

_"Traitor!" Someone hollered. "What have you done to her?!"_

_With a scream, he rounded on the first shinigami he saw. _

_"BANKAI!"_

_--_

Soi fon watched the two exchange a toast, quickly averting her gaze when she saw Naruto bring a cigar to his lips, much like the one she was currently smoking, and light it. He got up then, said something to Kyoraku, and swiftly headed towards the exit, not caring that Rangiku got up to follow him, nor that he rudely bumped into Soi fon en route to the door.

Where was he headed to?

_--_

**_Next time: Hangover._**


End file.
